Nightingale Academy
by parallelauthenticity
Summary: Welcome to Nightingale Academy. A school for the Amaranthines who happen to be imortal enemies with the Anamorphs. Warning: This story is unlike any other animorphs story; it is my own mythology
1. Chapter 1

_Some secrets are meant to be kept Vince…_

He felt her presence in the room before he even set eyes on her.

Slowly, with some restraint, he turned his head towards her, causing his black hair to fall over his left eye. She was wearing a tight purple sweater and fluro blue skinny leg jeans. Her hair was held up in a no-nonsense bun.

"Aaah, nice of you to grace us with your presence Miss Winstanley," Mr. Castle cocked his head to the left and raised one cynical eyebrow. If there was one thing the old fossil hated more than anything, it was to be interrupted in one of his pathetic lectures.

Shifting his undivided attention back to her, Vince watched her pace to the back of the classroom and take her seat. Though only a simple act, it was demonstrated with utmost graciousness. She sat down on the chair behind the old wooden desk just after their eyes met. Izadora leaned back, and focused on the teacher and _his_head returned to its usual position. Except this time, as he stared down at the brown, rotting desk, he could have sworn she smiled at him.

As soon as class was dismissed, he made his way towards her.

"Hey, Iza. You still mad at me? "It was the closest greeting that imitated calmness. Emphasis on imitated since his heart skipped so many beats per second.

"Oh, well look who it is..." The sides of her face pulled up into a smile that drove Vince crazy. Iza's smiled always revealed straight white teeth which complimented her dark, milk-chocolate skin. Her arms circled his torso, drawing him in a tight hug.

"Wow, you're still talking nicely to me after last night?"

"I'm still talking to you. Period." Iza's embrace suddenly collapsed as she placed her arms at her sides, looking at him through her dark, caramel, mesmerising eyes.

Vince let out a sigh that was full of exasperation, "Can you blame me? I mean, I shouldn't have kept those things from you but me-"

"Damn it Vince! We've been through already, if you don't trust me enough to tell me...what you _REALLY_ are, then I'm starting to wonder if you trust me at all. Like I said, I can handle the truth." And with that she turned away and disappeared amongst the tidal wave of students scrambling in the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two: The unexpected guest…**_

"Way to go D'trell. Ahahaha, reeeeall smooth." The oh-so-familiar voice of Marcus Carter sang in Vince's ear. He turned around to find his best friend dressed in white Ecko Unlimited hi-tops, black jeans and a snug white, short -sleeve that emphasised his muscular arms. Marcus was of Arabic decent and unlike his twin; he had tousled black hair with silver streaks that sprawled across his head. It had sort of a messy, boyish look to it. His eyes were the colour of jade; smooth, silky and deep. He had a perfectly straight nose and facial features that looked like they'd been chiseled from marble. His jaws were carved at such a precise angle; they made his cheekbones stand out in the most gorgeous manner. It was basically a better looking version of Chase Crawford with black hair and silver streaks. Marco's lips, that always held a hint of amusement pulled up into a lopsided grin.

"Seriously man, you've GOT to get a grip. I mean telling her? Nuh-uh, we A's got to keep ourselves in the dark you know. Hell, she could be an Anamorphs destined to kill every Amaranthine in the world," Marcus' grin vanished, "Kidding." He laughed out loud at his own joke.

Amaranthines.

Telling Iza about the Amaranthine had been a total mistake. Not only had he broken the Nightingale's Covenant's number one rule, but he had also earned himself a very long conversation on how the foundation of a relationship was trust. And all this other talk about how if he had kept his true self (a non-mortal) from her this whole time, what more was he capable of hiding? Vince felt his eyebrows pulling together into a dark frown, and he attempted to shake the feeling of being watched off.

"Hey, don't dwell on it man, I mean, we can't ALL be as perfect as I am," Marcus winked as he dodged a few students in the hallway.

Nightingale Academy had a freaking massive hallway. On each side, there was an even amount of bright blue lockers that stretched for what seemed like forever. In between each of the lockers, there were framed pictures of students, teachers, etc. who had accomplished a great achievement of some sort. The corridor's floors were made of pale, orange coloured tiles that gleamed when bathed in sunlight. Above, was the high stained glass ceiling, that was slightly tinted to avoid too much sunlight entering in. At the end of every hallway, there were a bunch of stairs that led to different sections of the academy. They were iron, spiralled stairs with floral engravings on them. It was the little things like this, that made Nightingale Academy look more like a palace than a boarding school and all in all, the Academy's hallways were pretty enchanting.

At the bottom of the stairs, the corridor divided into two separate sections, and both guys took the left turn leading to the library.

"Wanna help me study for my "human" biology assignment? You know, it might get your mind of things-not that my\ dazzling looks don't already do that." Marcus formed quotation marks with his fingers whilst he entered the automatic sliding doors. Instantly, they were greeted with the cool air from the library's cooling system.

"Marcus, you're an idiot," Vince brushed his charcoal hair out of his eyes and headed for the computer's at the back. If the corridors were enchanting, then the academy's library was ten times better. It was built in a dome shape, and had a high ceiling that-like the corridors-was also made of stain glass. Inside the library, there were computers and laptops that were arranged in a semi-circle on one side, and bookshelves on the other. The bookshelves, which were made of metal planks, had electronic labels on them that told you where you could certain genres off books were located. They also had small LCD screens, as well as QWERTY keyboards under them so students could search for written resources.

Aaww, now that's a bit harsh Vince. I mean, I know I'm not the SMARTEST person in the world but I wouldn't go as far as calling myself an idiot, oh good friend."

Another lopsided grin.

Placing his small notebook on the desk, Marcus pulled out a swivel chair and sank in it gratefully. His right hand moved over to the computer mouse as he started to log on.

Vince followed suit, but didn't' t bother turning on the computer. He was here to take his mind of Iza, how she'd turned his back on him when he needed her to trust him the most. Logging on and looking at his desktop background-a picture of him and Iza- would not help at this particular time.

The library was packed with students today; some doing assignments, finishing off last minute essays and others playing computer games. Vince's blue eyes scanned the area passively, just as Clement burst through the sliding doors. His eyes met with Vince's and immediately his face lit up.

"Twin two has entered the building" A chuckle escaped Vince's lips as he waved at Marcus' other half. Clement Carter looked nothing like his twin Marcus. For one, he was deathly pale, while Marcus had a rich olive completion. Where Clément's eyes were bright, vivid blue, Marcus' were a deep green. Where Clément's idiosyncrasy was reserved, meticulous and collective, Marcus' was quirky, flirtatious and sarcastic. The only thing the pair shared was the same date of birth and their jet black hair.

"D'trell. Brother." Clement crossed the library in six short strides and nodded in acknowledgement at the pair perched behind the computer screens, just as a boy emerged from behind him. Marcus spun on his chair away from the screen so he was facing Clement.

"Why if it isn't jack frost himself. What brings thee here? "

"Shut up mafia. And I came here to introduce my mate here." Clement gestured to the boy that now stood next to him.

I see. Well, always nice to have someone new in this palace. I'm Marcus Carter-you can call me Carter, this is Vince -you can call him D'trell, and you've obviously met my twin brother Clement Carter-and you can call him...whatever you like," Marcus grinned one of his charming smiles an extended a hand.

The boy at Clements's side exchanged handshakes with Marcus who's lips held another one of his cocky grins, then did the same with Vince.

"Cheers, I'm Dominique De Souza"

Vince eyed him closely. Dominique had a firm built, and very square shoulders. His messy, bronze-coloured hair was sprawled around his head and over his eyes creating a frizzy afro. The boy had dark exotic eyes and tanned skin. A tight, black, singlet exposed his large biceps. He could have been as young as seventeen with that sly grin he wore. His teeth were spaced evenly in his mouthed and when he covered them; his soft pink lips formed a slight curve in the left side of his mouth. Vince inspected him closer. Damn, this guy was cute. In fact, he was almost _too_good looking. There was a certain charisma about him, charm, something about him that tingled his sixth sense. He didn't like at all. He sneaked a sideways glance at Marcus and they shared a look of disapproval that unfortunately, Dominique yet seemed to notice.

"So, when'd you enrol at Nightingale?" D'trell asked in a friendly tone.

"Yesterday actually. I kind of got-uhhm- lost, and ran into Clem-uhh, Carter. He decided to show me around and yeah." Dominique had a slight accent that Vince couldn't detect. Spanish? Latino? He wasn't sure. Maybe more questions might help him pin-point this guy's accent.

"Yeah, trust Clement to get "lost" during Mr. Castle's morning classes. So where you from?" Another innocent question.

"Brazil, I got a scholarship here," No name yet smiled again, but the smile refused to touch his eyes this time.

_Bingo!_

"Duddee, what part of Brazil? Heard there's some nice chicks out there ay!" Marcus nudged Vince and winked at his brother who just laughed.

" Rio De Jenerio actually," No name's eyes pierced so deeply into Marcus' that the boy only managed a slight flinch.

"Yeah, well introduction's over now. I'm gonna go grab lunch ay bro. Ciao." The pair watched as Clement and no name yet strolled out of the library. Vince shifted on his chair to face Marucs.

"There's something about that guy-"

"As I suspected. His got to be a Dantelaques." Marcus said matter-of-factly.

"What, you don't really believe in that stuff do you?" D'trell's eyes widened with disbelief.

"We believe in vampires do we not?"

"Yea but that's different, we're-"

"Nah, it's the same thing. To the human world, me and you, vampires-we don't exist. Yet we do. So, don't you think that there's a chance for other creatures in human superstitions exist?"

Vince frowned, weighing the options in his head, inspecting them from every angle, " I guess you're right. But if he is what do you think his here for?"

"Isn't it obvious, of he's a Dantelaques, then there's only one thing his after for. I mean we know their South American demons that take the shape of men to poses young women and control their bodies. He could be out to get anyone. And also, it's like, like I've seen him somewhere before."

Vince looked at Marcus' lips. They held no amusement now. He was dead serious.

"So, what do you think he's doing in the Academy? I mean, if he is what you say he is-"

"Dantelaques," Marcus interrupted.

"Yes, a Dantelaques, then he must know that Nightingale Academy was built as a sanctuary for Amaranthines. "

"Hmm, you're right...I think this calls for a quest my good friend! We can call it, ' The Demon Catchers: Operation Clement and Co.'" Mr. Carter's eyes opened in fascination as he tapped his fingers on one side of his chin, "Yeahh, I like it. What'd you say D'trell? This will definitely get your mind of eyes-a-dora." He threw his head back and laughed at his own joke, his silver streaked hair moving with the motion of his head as he did so.

"I still don't get it why to think it's funny. Yeah, Izadora rhymes with eyes-a-dora, so? But anyway, I'm in. There's something weird about that guy and hey, who knows? We might even get our photos hung up in the corridor," A smile played on Vince's lips.

"Oh yes, the great well of success. I don't know about you but the bell is gone in ten, and I DON'T intend on spending my ten minutes of my eternal life-which I will never get back- in this place. So let's just get out of here and make our way to the next best thing since my grandma's ancient lasagna recipe: the canteen." Grabbing his notebook in one swift move, Marcus logged off his computer and eased out of his swivel chair.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three: The possession takes place…_

Nightingale Academy had so many girls. Short, thin, curvy, tanned, pale, girls with pointed noses, girls with flat noses, girls with stunning smiles, girls who shouldn't smile, pretty much all sorts. He'd been scanning for the right one all day, and finally, his efforts had been rewarded. He called her caramel girl, because of her skin. She was wearing a purple sweater and bright her blue jeans hugged her curves fittingly as she walked into the academy's parking lot. Her hair had probably been in a bun at the beginning of the day, but now it hung loosely low near her neck. Caramel girl walked casually through the rush of students that made their way on the other side of the campus leading to the dorms. He resisted the urge to take over her body, and posses her. Being a under his masters command, he needed to keep a low profile-especially when his witnesses weren't always human. She continued to walk, quickening her pace, turning back more frequently. A couple of times she ran into a few students who execrated at her. He needed her alone, not where all these people could witness him take over her. Not when the sun shone so brightly in the sky, as if wanting to expose his evil plan. She stopped-He stopped.

"Geez, traffic jam much, _MOVE!_" No name yet felt a girl slam into him from behind; presumably because of his abrupt stop.

"Excuse me?"

The petite girl was at least two heads shorter and very attractive. She was wearing a magenta low cut top that stopped right above her naval and showed more cleavage that necessary. On her legs, she wore black leggings that slid into ballet flats. No name yet liked the way she tossed her curly blonde hair over her shoulders, tapping her foot impatiently.

"You're excused, now like move out of the freaking _way!_" She tried to push past him but he blocked her by reflecting her movements.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Her voice started to rise, but none of the bustling students took notice.

"You're going to do me a favour," His voice was calm but forceful. Demanding. It wasn't a request, but a command.

"Uhhm, I do-not-think-so! Now get out of the way before I freaking scream you son of -" With an impulsive movement he quickly raised his hand and clutched his fingers against her throat, stealing the words from her cherry chap stick covered lips. She began to squirm and writhe in pain, her eyes bulging from her head.

He squeezed harder.

"You're going to do me a favour," No name yet's eyes narrowed when the girl tried to shake her head.

"N-N-No-" She began to sputter but he was far too quick. Forcing his way inside, her entered her body. It was an amazing sensation, one he never got tired of. It was like falling down an underground tunnel then finally reaching the pit to find that you were in control of the other person's mind, body and soul. His whole body disappeared as he passed inside her and she staggered back. Her backpack fell to the floor and he felt her knees weaken. Gazing through her violet eyes, he steadied himself and looked at the name tag on her bag; he was now Chelsea Jones. He had done it. No name yet grinned, hot, savage satisfaction jolting through him. The students in the parking lot had started to disperse now. Regaining his normal stance, he picked up Chelsea's bag and started walking, looking, searching for Caramel Girl. No way would he find her now, this place was far to ostentatious. She could be anywhere now, maybe already in her dorm. He would look for her tomorrow, as long as she wasn't with that charcoal haired guy with the silver streaks or his wog partner who always tagged by. And with that no name yet headed off-in Chelsea's body- to the girl's dorms near the forest.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four: Something's Off…**_

Izadora paced around her room. Something was off and she knew it. Her roommate Danielle peered at her, as if asking her what was going on, but other than that, she remained silent. She flicked through the magazine pages she was reading on her side of the double bed.

"Iza, Ohmigosh, check out Chace Crawford's new hair cut! Arrrrggg! Kind of reminds me of Marcus'..." Danielle lifted up the magazine and uttered a high-pitched giggle. Izadora couldn't help but chuckle softly. _Amaranthines_ she thought to herself. She stared at her dorm room. It comprised of a vivacious double bed on the far end opposite the doorway, and two mammoth wardrobes on either side of the room. In the middle of the room were two metal study desks, one for each of the girls; Danielle and Izadora. The pair had joined their two solo beds to make one giant double bed, and the contrast in bed covers and walls on each side of the room was largely noticeable. Danielle's side of the room-the more clattered half- was coated in floral wallpaper, resembling the colours silver, indigo and fuchsia. Stuck on the walls were Gothic posters, pictures of tattoos she had always wanted to get-except her parents had forbidden it-and a whole picture collection of punk rock band Breathe Carolina. As for Izadora's side, it was plain with creamed coloured walls and as neat as a monks'.

"Yella, it's lights out in ten, so we might as well sleep now. I'm so tired aye," Izadora faked drooping eyelids and a sleepy yawn. She needed to have her roommate sleeping before she snuck out. Not that Danielle was the snitching type, but it seemed better to keep your roommates in the dark when it came to wandering the Academy's woods in the middle of the night.

Danielle sighed, looking up from her magazine as she tossed her hot pink fringe to the side of her head, out of her eyes. "Yeah, just-lemme finish checking out Alex Pettifer's abs," She poked out her pierced tongue and beamed.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five: Anamorph.**_

The moon was full. It shone a luminously bright light in the dead of night, casting a ghostly shadow within the woods. With every step she could here her sneakers producing crunching sounds on as she stepped on dried up leaves.

"Almost there," She whispered hoarsely, barely audible for her own ears to hear.

When she finally reached the clearing in between the four trees, she took off her leather jacket and stood in the middle of them, bathed in the moon's light. Impatiently she glanced at her watch, 11:59.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two- AAAHHHH" A savage howl escaped from her lips as her whole body convulsed. She fell to the floor on her hands and knees, twitching. Meanwhile she could hear the cracking sound of her bones shifting. She gazed through her now glowing eyes. Her hands had been replaced with paws. Orange fur had grown where her hair used to be, and she was now four times her normal size.

With one last look in the direction of the dorms, she pounced and disappeared into the forest


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six: What's the matter Chelsea?_

Chelsea Jones approached the cafeteria with her lunch tray and sat at an empty table. Immediately, others turned to stare at her with quizzical gazes.

"Oii, C. Jay, aren't you going to join us? What you've abandoned you're best friends now?" A cute blonde kid from another table teased playfully. He was surrounded by two other girls and an equal amount of boys-each equally as cute. No name yet scanned Chelsea's subconsciousness. Joey. His name was Joey, and he was Chelsea's boyfriend, well _his_ boyfriend now. The other people around him were her best friends. Meticulously, Chelsea picked up her tray and headed towards the table, a flirtatious smiled plaster across her face.

"Sorry peeps, I'm not thinking straight today, got a freaking _headache_" She sat next to Joey and frowned apologetically.

"All good." A slim chick that had died her fringe a striking shade pink smiled warmly. Chelsea noticed that when she smiled, a dimple emerged on her right cheek. She had tanned olive smooth skin that seemed to glow under that stainless glass ceiling. Her features were petite and sharp. Pink fringe girl had a small pointed nose and also a small mouth. Her big, metallic, captivating eyes made her look like an anime character.

"...So I was like: Dude, I don't _need_ history class If I ever want to travel to the past, you'll be the first to know Mrs. Gertha, ahahaha, "Joey hurled his head back and hooted at his own joke. The others joined and Chelsea followed suit. She inspected the kids on her table. On her right side of the metal table top was Joey. To her left, a stunningly beautiful brunet girl no name yet had now registered in Chelsea's mind as Carrie sat down. Besides Carrie sat a boy-her boyfriend-named Clement. Clement was very pale with striking pitch black hair. The opposite side of the table only held two people. Hot pink girl-Danielle and Marat. Marat was average looking, but Chelsea's subliminal mind told no name yet that he was very intelligent. Marat looked up, feeling Chelsea's gaze on him and straight away his eyes narrowed. Panic rose inside no name yet as he shifted in his seat. Marat was staring _directly_ at him. It was as if he _knew_ Chelsea was being controlled. Casually no name yet avoided Marat's probing eyes and smiled at Joey.

Joey draped an arm lazily around Chelsea's shoulder and pecked her on the cheek.

"So you want to come over my dorm room this afternoon?" His smile revealed marvellous white teeth. Something told no name yet that Chelsea's heart would have jumped at the way his blond hair fell towards his right eye; kind of in a boyish, innocent way.

"Dude, what do I freaking look like? _Britney Spears_, giving free shags to my bf? Ahahaha jokes, of course" No name yet replied. He was starting to get the hang of Chelsea's way of personality. He returned Joey's kiss.

"Eww, gr-oss! Can you's like NOT contain that? Anyway…have you guys started on your "human" biology project?" Danielle made quotation marks with her slim fingers. Her dimple deepened as she laughed.

"No! I don't even get the point of it. Human biology can kiss my vag. We are Amaranthines for Valentine's sake," Carrie chimed in.

No name yet searched Chelsea's mind for clues. The way Danielle made quotation marks at the word "human" made it sound like something more was going on. Yet as he scanned the girl's mind, it was as if something was blocking her memory from revealing this particular type of information.

"You started ?" It was Marat who spoke this time, his deep brown eyes boring into hers.

"What? No, not yet..."

"Yeah, probably too busy making out with Joey!" Danielle winked. Then it clicked. Danielle Galanté was Chelsea's closest friend since she started the Academy two years ago. Her real name was Daniella but she preferred when people cut out the 'a' in her name or call her Niella. No name yet realised why Chelsea had felt such comfort by her presence.

"Hey, nothing _you_ haven't seen us doing!" She poked out her tongue at her best friend.

The whole group giggled at this and they continued to eat their lunch. Laughing and talking as if everything was perfect. Not that anyone but Chelsea knew any better. She glanced nervously at the teenagers sitting at her table, they all seemed so clueless. All except Marat.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven: An imposter at Nightingale?**_

Something was off. Izadora could smell it. She stood amidst the woods of Nightingale Academy, gazing at the cafeteria. It smelt of deception and lies, like smoke mixed with alcohol. It left a foul taste in her mouth. Even in wolf form, she could still twist her face in disgust. Izadora's eyes scanned the lunch area, her gaze piercing through the tinted windows. There. Her vision blurred for a moment, as if she was looking through eyes that suffered from astigmatism. But even astigmatism couldn't stop her from noticing where the problem was coming from. There was something about the group of kids sitting at that lunch table that wasn't right. Suddenly a familiar face was locked in her gaze: Danielle Galanté. She was chatting away carelessly amongst her posse of friends. Izadora tried to see if there was anything suspicious about the group but found nothing. Her eyes scanned the group for a fifth time, slowly this time; absorbing every tiny detail until it hit her. Chelsea. She seemed different somehow. The off scent she'd gathered was illuminating from Chelsea, and as she stared at her through her sensitive wolf eyes, Chelsea's image seemed to blur, and shimmer. A sudden wail produced by the school's sirens dragged Izadora's thoughts to her surroundings. She darted back into the shadows of the woods and shifted, making sure that not even the sunlight could expose her identity. Now in human form, she paced casually into the main building, ready to find out more about what she'd just experienced.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight: Having some trouble Marcus?**_

Fifth period was always the worst. Mrs. Gertha had by far the most annoying voice ever exposed to the ear. It sounded like a mosquito and a fly, buzzing in one's ear all at once. If Paige hadn't been in this class then Marcus didn't know what he would have done. Paige was Amaranthine. Her special skill was a photographic memory. This made her an excellent way of getting straight A's his history grades.

"Mr Carter, care to tell me when the Nightingale's sacred element discovered and what was how it connects with our species?" Marcus quickly scanned Paige's signals, answering with a cool smile.

"Well, if my listening skills serve me correctly then I believe that it was around three hundred years ago. The Aktinum Aurum is said to be an element more powerful than the elements of earth, air, water and fire put together. It is a supernatural element unknown to ordinary mortals which is what makes it so sacred. According to the myth, Valentine Delores discovered a stone in the woods one night, whilst hunting for wild dogs. Now Valentine was an Alchemist who was planning on using the rock for his own benefit. Little did he know that he had just discovered the stone that the Anamorphs and Amaranthines used to reproduce and gain power. See the Anamorphs and the Amaranthines had been fighting over the Aktinum Aurum since the beginning of time, and had become enemies because both species had wanted and needed this sacred stone. Since the Anamorphs really wanted this stone, they offered to give Valentine their powers. However the stupid _animals_ didn't know that Valentine wasn't actually mortal, in fact he was a demon himself. So in the end, Valentine possessed both demon power and Anamorphs power and ended up hiding the rock in a secret location. That location is now known as Nightingale Academy. Our academy is built right on top of the earth were the Aktinum Aurum was hidden. This knowledge of course is now known to the Anamorphs which is why we must be at our guard at all times and protect our institute."

"Well done Marcus, a very detailed explanation on the school's history. Although next time I would prefer if your eyes were on the board and _not_ on your seatmate's cleavage."

The whole class roared with laughter, to the point that even Marcus joined in. The rest of the lesson flew effortlessly for Marcus. He continued scanning everyone's mental signals until abruptly he was shoved out of Chelsea's field. He glanced slowly to the back of the classroom where she sat with her arms folded casually. She was dressed in a tight black singlet and skimpy leopard print shorts. A fluffy white hair tie held up her blonde curls in a high pony tail. Marcus tried again, scanning her telepathic shell. Again, he was shoved out. He watched Chelsea intensely. Her eyes had narrowed and her eyebrows were now tightly knitted together in a look that could only mean pure concentration. She knew, and she wasn't going to let him read her. This was a new sensation for Marcus. Usually he could tell what people were thinking by reading the mental signals that they were giving off. It was like a radio frequency. You had to tune in and scan closely in order to find a clear, station. It was a gift rare among Amaranthines but he had mastered it within a year. Usually, when he read a person, they had no knowledge of it. They could give off emotions and thoughts and he could read them without them even being aware of it. Marcus had read Chelsea a couple of times in the past but for some unexplained reason, he couldn't now. It was like running right into a glass wall. And it seemed like she was doing it on purpose. He took another deliberate attempt and this time managed to get through the shield by the slightest inch, catching a string of thought that radiated from her mind. "…no time…protect Aktinum Aurum..." Chelsea's jaw clenched and Marcus saw a muscle jump in her jaw. Any signals he had been receiving were immediately cut off, like someone had cut the power off.

"Eyes to the front please, Mr Carter." Mrs. Gertha's stern eyes peered over the circular rim of her spectacles that had decided to slide down her nose.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine: Moonlight Shadows**_

Night had arrived and another day was soon to be over.

Vincent gazed out of his open dorm window, eyes passively scanning the woods. It had been a while since he sat on his bed and admired the moon. Although it was obscured by a mass of clouds, he could still see that tonight it was a full moon. The night was brighter than usual, and the forest could be seen more clearly. Vince peered closer thinning his eyes into slits as a figure emerged. It had long hair and a slim body. The figure was walking away from the girl's dorms towards the campus' woods.

"Look Bro, if you want to STALK SOMEONE, " Marcus dropped a pair of binoculars on Vince's lap. "_these_ might help. Hey-is that _CHELSEA_?" Marcus' whisper tickled Vince's ear.

"Yeah it is, and it looks like" Vincent's eyes widened in shock. His mouth made the shape of a letter O where as his hands simply dropped his binoculars, quivering intensely. "Shit, she's got the double a!"

"Wait, now I'm sure I can't be stupid as well as deaf, did you say the double a? As in _the_ double a?"

"No, See I just like to make life-threatening pranks on people-of course she's got the double a. Marcus we have to do something!"

"Calm down bro, no panicking-only mortals do that. Heck, you might start getting migraines next by the way you're shaking. Now are you sure it's the double a? The Aktinum Aurum double a?"

"Yeah I'm sure alright. See? My replica is glowing," Vincent's strong hands clasped the small locket around his neck. It was starting to radiate a faint bluish light. The light became brighter and began to escape through the gaps of his fingertips. In an instant, Marcus's emerald eyes began to glow and shift colour. They turned a dark green, getting darker until they were pitch black.

"I see her; she's heading towards the clearing in the woods. We have to stop her before the Anamorphs find her." His eyes slowly returned to their normal green shade and focused on Vince. With a small nod, both boys darted towards their drawers next to their bedside and pulled out black hoodies and boots. Marcus was already in his dark swants, leaving Vince to quickly change whilst he embraced his amulet around his neck.

" Alright I'm done. Ready for this Carter?"

" Aren't I Always?" With one last look back, Marcus shut their dorm door and darted down the stairs with Vince in front of him.

Getting outside was easy, although it was lights out; there were no hall monitors dawdling the corridors. Vince was able to pick the lock using the pointed and serrated end the crystal that hung on his neck. Once they were outside, they headed towards the woods. Nightingale's woods were on the other side on the campus near the girls' dorms. The boy's dorms were located on the far end of the campus near the gate. An endless cement car park separated the two dorms.

" We better speed walk Carter, " Vince paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes. Marcus echoed his movements. Within seconds both boys were flying through the parking lot and into the woods. It was common for Amaranthines to be able to travel over 10 times faster than cheaters. Vince and Marcus soared through the woods, taking in the scent of the trees, the odour of the moist damp earth, the slight rush of air they got every time they whizzed past. In less than 7 seconds they slowed their paces and regained a human pace.

"Man, I haven't done that in a while bro," The full moon illuminated Marcus' white teeth as he gleamed.

"Tell me about it, glad to see we've still got it haha," Vince whispered through the sides of his mouth. "Can you see her anywhere?" Although the moon was full, it was hard to see when they were so far into the forest. The tall trees loomed over like watching towers, their leaves creating a loud rustling noise. Everywhere he looked there was only darkness, light up by the faint glow of the Luna.

Marcus' eyes darkened in response and his pupils vanished. Both his eyes were now pitch black all round. He turned his head slowly, first right then left. He did it again and this time his eyes stopped dead, head turned three quarters towards his left shoulder. "There. I see her, she's not far from the clearing. About 20ks from here, let's speed up," Vince needing no more convincing, he bent his knees and coasted toward the area Marcus had pointed out.


End file.
